I'm ready to run my first half marathon

Elizabeth Templin McCamic

It's race week, and I'm feeling a little nervous and a little excited.

It's hard to believe that the half marathon I've been training for since January is finally here. I have not worked this hard in a while - maybe not since I earned a master's degree in 2009 - and I have never worked so hard toward a physical challenge like this before. I'm ready to throw on my running shoes and hit the course.

Over the weekend, I ran the hilliest four miles of the RaceFest course. I wanted to get a feel for the hills and familiarize myself with some landmarks so I'd know how long each climb lasts. Running with fresh legs, I finished the section in a little under my normal pace. The only bummer is on race day, I will have run six miles before I start this section. Ouch.

I'm hoping that by practicing those hills, I'll at least be mentally prepared to get through those miles even if it is physically challenging.

I am looking forward to Saturday morning and to seeing how I do. For my first half, my goal was simply to finish, and I think I'm ready to do just that.

For anyone participating in RaceFest this weekend, how are you preparing? If you've run the course before, do you have any tips?